Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => Astrophotography => Topic started by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 09:08:45

Title: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 09:08:45
Has anyone any ideas on the above please?  I did some test shots last night & the subs will only stack narrow side up. I did have a similar problem a couple of weeks ago, i think I was doing a panorama & the subs were the wrong way up. although on Photo Digital Prof they are the correct orientation.

I did have a message flash up regarding a Canon update, something to so with incompatable cr2 files, but when I looked. the 600D was not mentioned in the update.

I am using Win 7
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: mickw on Jun 19, 2012, 09:41:35
Does the camera do that image rotation thing when you rotate the camera ? - Turn it off.

Make copies of the originals then rotate them manually in PS or whatever before stacking.
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 09:46:19
I did take them with the camera the right way up. I am wondering if the Sigma lens has anything to do with it as the stack is really bad around all edges. perhaps only a long exposure can be done with that lens
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: MarkS on Jun 19, 2012, 09:57:19
Quote from: Fay
the stack is really bad around all edges. perhaps only a long exposure can be done with that lens

Can you post a quick example?
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: mickw on Jun 19, 2012, 10:16:20
The Sigma is a zoom lens, it's not shifting slightly in use is it ?
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Rocket Pooch on Jun 19, 2012, 11:32:38
Fay,

If its your 10-20mm the lens will curve the edges because its a super wide angle lens and will not be flat.

On thei page look at the yellow green chat with you mouse.  You will see the edges are bent.

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma_10-20_4-5p6_n15/3

Chris
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 13:01:12
why are they stacking in the wrong orientation?
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: The Thing on Jun 19, 2012, 13:39:36
You haven't said what you are using to so the stacking. Digital Photo Professional will look at the EXIF tag set in the file (set by the camera) and rotate the image to suit, stacking software won't.

Why not stack them then just rotate the result and not worry about it?
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 13:42:11
DSS, Duncan. is it the same size then, even if stacked wrong way around?

Thanks for that Chris, will study
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: The Thing on Jun 19, 2012, 14:27:57
Of course it's the same size, just looks tiny on the DSS display area (which is quite limited).
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 14:32:46
Well I dont think that the Sigma will be any good for astro work, just daytime. I think it is too widefield, too many setbacks at the edges for stacking etc. The only way, i think, would be to do mosaic & heavily crop each sub, or wonder if setting at around F8 may sort it. what do you think?
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: RobertM on Jun 19, 2012, 16:58:08
Unless you can correct for the issue that Chris mentioned you are wasting your time trying to do a mosaic.  Believe me it's bad enough with a Telescope.

Robert
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Rocket Pooch on Jun 19, 2012, 17:00:49
Fay,

The 50mm F2 Canon lens is about a short as your going to get away with and get reasonable images.

Chris
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 17:12:51
Well, I bought the Sigma for daytime photography, so not too worried. but shame I did not get anything worth keeping last night. It was a practice night regarding soft ware, got lost in APT so changed to BYE,  and attatching the dslr on top of the ED80 via the Manfrotto ball head.
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: mickw on Jun 19, 2012, 17:15:38
OI

You said the 600D was NOT FOR ASTRO WORK  :!

You told porkies and obviously all the crap weather is your fault  :! :! :! :!
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 19, 2012, 17:55:23
Milkyway & star trails is lightweight, borderline!!!!!!
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: mickw on Jun 19, 2012, 18:29:36
Nice try  :-?

Borderline is taking a picture of a pointless tree or rock, including a star and calling it an astronomical image  :P
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 20, 2012, 18:34:07
I have done a couple of tests today & have put it on PAIG.

Please can you have a look to save me doing it all again?  Thanks my chums

I am wondering if there is a download update I should have, but not sure what!!


http://www.progressiveastroimaging.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=6597
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: mickw on Jun 20, 2012, 18:49:51
Are you trying to take the image as a panorama, using a panorama setting in the camera (accidental or otherwise) ?

If yes, I think the camera takes them that shape because it's expecting another bunch of images to be assembled alongside.

A stacking program would not know this and just try and stack them all together, although it would probably reject all except the first image
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 20, 2012, 19:01:26
No, I cant see a panorama setting. Now after the milky way, I did a garden hdr shot, which is fine. I am thinking that, it depends on the processing program that I use, if it works or not.  As I said, in Canon Digital Profession, they are fine. So they must be taken ok, but a lot of programs dont seem to be compatable with, perhaps, the Canons bits & pieces ( could not think of a professional  expression)

Even Irfanview opened them as a rectangle, and that opens anything!  

Another thought, my star trails was ok, but the stacking program is probably compatible
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: MarkS on Jun 21, 2012, 00:32:55
Quick Internet search reveals it is a problem with DCRAW.  DCRAW is a component used by both DSS and IrfanView (and AstroArt and FastStone and maybe Registax) to decode the RAW images.  Older versions of DCRAW misinterpret raw files from the 550D and 600D leading it to read in only 20% of the file (the left hand slice). 

Maybe a more recent version of DSS or IrfanView use the updated version of DCRAW?  I don't know.

It might just be possible just to upgrade the DCRAW component but that would be more difficult.


Mark
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: The Thing on Jun 21, 2012, 08:30:48
DSS should be version 3.3.2 Fay.
Title: Re: 600D subs stacking lengthwise
Post by: Fay on Jun 21, 2012, 08:34:24
Mark that is fantastic you have isolated the problem, thanks very much.

I  updated  DSS last night, but it would not cope with stacking just a couple of JPEGs, I changed the tiffs to jpegs in case the CR2 was the problem. I also updated Astroart. I will carry on today trying to get it sorted.